MIZORAM (HATIM)

The Higher and Technical Institute, Mizoram (HATIM) is the first Christian College in Mizoram, India established and run by the Baptist Church of Mizoram since June 2007. It is affiliated to the Mizoram University. The Baptist Church of Mizoram has a vision to grow and develop the institute to be a deemed university(1) in which world-class education is provided to the people of the impoverished North East India region and to respond to the challenges faced by the people of Mizoram in particular which include the following:

The traditional method of “slash and burn” farming which is still widely practiced in Mizoram is ecologically destructive and economically unsustainable. Many families struggle to support themselves through these means and there is no hope for entire families for survival and growth.

The literary education introduced in Mizoram through the pioneer missionaries from the United Kingdom a little over a century ago has not been upgraded after these many years. The standard and quality of education in the state is not up to standard as the main goal of education in the state had been the provision of universal primary education. The existing education system does not provide the required knowledge and skill either to get jobs or to start any project for income generation.

Only very few families – mostly the cream of society, could afford to send their children for higher studies outside of Mizoram. Most of the students who have gone for higher and technical education outside Mizoram do not get admission in the first-grade institutions. The practice drains out maximum resources from Mizoram with minimum returns in terms of human potential development.

Higher education in the country is mostly secular and increasingly materialistic in its value which infuses doubt about the Christian faith in the minds of the Mizo Christian students. This is the root cause of rampant corruption in society in general and in the government. This will no doubt eventually empty the churches as had been seen in the West.

While most of the best colleges in India happen to be the Christian colleges, it is quite surprising that there is not a single Christian college in the State of Mizoram which is known as a Christian state.

This significant and challenging investment is made by the BCM to train the Mizo Christian youths that they may be able to make positive contributions to society and to global Christian witness. The total number of students in the 2016-17 academic years is 273. The college is proving itself to be one of the best colleges in the state and has produced quite a few top performing students in the Mizoram University Examinations though it’s entering only its tenth year.

VISION:

Our vision is to build a Deemed University based on Christian values where quality and relevant education is provided to catch and mould the life of educated young people in Mizoram.

MISSION STATEMENT:

To catch and equip students with the required knowledge and skills to become competent, reliable and responsible citizens and to provide faithful Christian witnesses in our society, nation and beyond.

INFRASTRUCTURE:

The institution is run as a co-ed residential Christian institution. The present college building is located in Lunglei town in southern Mizoram, and is being leased from the Baptist Church of Mizoram until the permanent campus at Kawmzawl, Pukpui is ready.

The classrooms, library, computer laboratory, auditorium and administrative offices are housed in the college building. Men and Ladies’ Residences are now in the permanent campus and administrative block is under construction.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

Students of the institution are led through various leadership training and personality and talent development activities with a view to enabling them to be competent in any kind of job or ministry in any part of the world. The College has initiated a lively and enriching English Worship Service since August 2008, the only one of its kind in the whole town of Lunglei.

The enriching and unique spiritual worship service has been instrumental in growing effective and mature Christian youths in the region.

STRUCTURE AND COURSES:

There will be two streams of learning, which are:

(a) the Academic Programme which consists of the Graduate and eventually Post-Graduate level academic courses

Higher level of education in which Technical, Science, Management, Commerce & Finance and Arts for Under Graduate and Post-Graduate courses will be offered. Presently, there are four different tertiary degree courses on offer including:

Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)

Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)

Bachelor of Arts in English (BA)

Bachelor of Social Works (BSW)

The Baptist Church of Mizoram Assembly in 2016 has approved the plan to open two new Bachelor

programmes which are not yet implemented due to lack of classrooms. These are:

Bachelor of Business Administration

Bachelor of Mass Communication and Journalism

The Society of Higher and Technical Studies will continue to explore ways to be relevant in providing

skills training and degree courses which will meet the needs of the people of Mizoram.

HATIM SKILL TRAINING CENTRE

The HATIM Skill Training Centre shall be established to train and upskill the impoverished, unemployed, rural youths who could not afford higher education through the higher academic programme. The skill training programme will help equip the people of the region with the practical and essential skills they need to succeed in life; to provide for themselves and their families; to establish an understanding of the principles and skills of establishing small businesses in the context of Christian service and stewardship.

The HATIM Skill Training Centre will be run under the institute with a separate Dean under the administration of the Principal. Due to differences in the medium of Instruction (namely English and Mizo) and the level of educational qualification required for admission to the programmes, the centre will operate semi-independently in terms of community language, worship, and day-to-day functioning. Below is a list of possible diploma/certificate courses which may be offered in the programme and additions could be made in line with the needs and trends of society:

Agriculture (Sloping Agriculture Land Technology)

Horticulture

Tailoring

Carpentry

Electrical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Computer Applications

Electronics

Plumbing

Bamboo processing

Leather processing

Secretarial training

Beautician

Hairdressing

Cottage Industry

Entrepreneurship

Functioning:

The main aim of the training centre is to provide practical, relevant and ready-to-use skills for people to succeed in life.

The centre may seek separate registration with a relevant government body as may be required under the law of the land.

The training centre will seek and select trainees through local partners including Non-Governmental Organizations and the churches.

The trainees will be selected on the basis the genuineness of their needs, desire, and commitment to be trained.

The duration of each training programme will be four months normally but it may be extended up to one year if the nature of the course demands it.

The programme on offer will differ from time to time depending on the kind of experts available for a given academic session.

INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENT:

MAIN BULDING: This multi-purpose building will house the Dean and administrative office, classrooms, and workshop for the skills training.

RESIDENCE/HOSTEL FOR TRAINEES

ACCOMMODATION/HOSTEL FOR EXPERTS/TRAINERS/TEACHERS

TOTAL BUDGET:

The budget for infrastructure development, recruitment of new staff and establishment and running of the courses is Rs. 20,000,000/- (which is AUD 407,692).

IMMEDIATE TASKS AHEAD AND ONGOING PROJECTS:

Development of HATIM Permanent Campus at Kawmzawl, Lunglei

Construction of Administrative Building at the cost of Rs. 211 Lakhs: Ongoing since July 2016

Construction of Water Reservoir with the total estimated cost of Rs. 25 Lakhs of which we receive 11 lakhs from the High Power Committee, Lunglei

The college has been an incredible achievement for the church as it has been financed, ran and managed entirely by the church without any financial aid from the government or any other organization since it was first established. However, the college finds itself lagging behind government funded colleges especially in terms of infrastructure development, salary for quality teachers, laboratories, library, equipment and machinery as it relies entirely on church contributions – which is a very significant challenge as this is in one of the most economically backward areas in the country. For this reason, we seek partnership and funding from well-wishers and agencies in India and abroad

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1

Deemed university, or Deemed-to-be-University, is an accreditation awarded to higher Educational institutions in India, conferring the status of a university. The status of a deemed university allows full autonomy in courses, syllabus, admission, and fees.